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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27160262">Are you sure?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bbcsherlockwho/pseuds/bbcsherlockwho'>bbcsherlockwho</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:55:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27160262</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bbcsherlockwho/pseuds/bbcsherlockwho</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened after Strike took Robin to the Ritz for champagne. Strike has finally decided to go for it with his partner, but is Robin on the same page?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Ellacott &amp; Cormoran Strike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1</p><p> </p><p>It had been an unusually warm night for October, but Robin Ellacott wasn't mad that she had a heavy, warm jacket on her shoulders that smelled of her partner. After the Champagne at the Ritz, her partner Cormoran Strike had invited her to dinner at a nearby pub and Robin had been happy about the change in scenery. If they had gone to a restaurant it would have felt too much like a proper date and she wasn't sure that she could handle that.</p><p>They had spent the evening laughing and getting a bit tipsy with beer and wine and after Strike had insisted on walking her home, had offered her his jacket in the quickly cooling night air.</p><p>„Thanks for tonight“, Robin started as they arrived at her door. „I had a lovely time.“</p><p>„Good.“ Strike looked at her fondly, as he helped her out of his jacket. „I hoped you would“, he said.</p><p>She smiled at him and closed the short distance between them for another kiss on his cheek. But as she was stepping away from his warm body into the cold night, Strike stopped her with a hand on her elbow. Robin looked up into his eyes, which had suddenly become very intense and she knew that this was the point of no return. If they kissed now, everything would change. And even though a big part of her wanted exactly that to happen, a smaller but very insistent part told her that it was a horrible idea. They shared too much that could be destroyed, should a relationship between them go downhill. And, quite frankly, they both had a rather poor track record in that department.</p><p>So, she had to make a decision. Take the plunge and see where this thing between them might go – damn the consequences, or stop it now and pretend nothing had happened. Robin Ellacott knew that she wasn't brave enough for the uncertainty, so she said „Maybe we should talk about that night at the office. Before Barclay showed up.“</p><p>Strike took a small step back, not quite leaving her personal space, but also not as close anymore to just lower his head and kiss her.</p><p>„Yeah. Maybe we should“, he replied with a slightly hoarse voice.</p><p>She could see that this had not been the way he had expected this moment to continue, but he waited patiently until she was ready to speak.</p><p>Robin felt her insides tighten. Even though she was about to stop any kind of romantic progress between them, she knew that she had to be honest with him. She took a deep breath so her voice wouldn't be shaky.</p><p>„That night, you told me, I was your best friend. And you can't imagine how happy that made me feel.“ Strike was smiling at that, but before he could say something, Robin continued. „To be quite honest, you too are my best friend.“ She made a little pause to get the strength to say the next part. The hard part. „But you are also so much more to me.“</p><p>Robin knew she was now in dangerous territory and kept looking at the ground so to not see Strike's reaction to her confession. Thankfully, he seemed to understand that she wasn't quite done talking and waited without interrupting her.</p><p>„There have been moments when I thought that maybe something more could happen between us. Had you asked, I would have run away with you at my wedding.“</p><p>She felt him inch nearly imperceptibly closer to her.</p><p>„But,“ At this she felt him still.</p><p>„But, I realised that it wouldn't have worked. You were the fantasy, but that couldn't change my reality. And after that we became proper friends. And even though I kept thinking of the possibility, I also don't want to loose what we have.“ Finally, she had the courage to look at him. Strike was listening intently, his features giving nothing away.</p><p>„I love my job“, Robin continued. „I love the agency and most importantly, I love working with you. I don't want to loose that in case we try and then realise that we don't work. So, I guess, what I'm trying to say is, can we be friends and partners and that's it?“</p><p>She was nervous about his reaction. Maybe she had misinterpreted everything and he wasn't even interested and she had just made a complete fool out of herself, but she didn't really think so. That night at the office… If Barclay hadn't shown up, she wasn't sure that she could have remained on the side of friendship.</p><p>After she was done, Strike immediately took a step back, letting go of her arm. She felt the cold envelope her, making her doubt if she was doing the right thing. But his features were soft now and she knew what he would say.</p><p>„Robin,“ Strike began, „you are the best thing that ever happened to me. You saved me in more ways than I can say and I want for you to be happy.“</p><p>Robin felt tears prick her eyes.</p><p>„Nothing has happened and if you want to keep it that way, we will", Strike continued. „Just know that you are important to me and I'm grateful to have you in my life in any way I can.“</p><p>Strike now smiled. „I'll tell Ilsa to stop with the match-making“, he said with a twinkle in his eyes.</p><p>Robin snorted, thankful to him for trying to lighten the mood. „She won't be happy.“</p><p>„She'll get over it.“ Strike said light-heartedly, but Robin wasn't sure if he was just talking about Ilsa.</p><p>„I'll see you tomorrow then?“ Strike seemed to already pretend like nothing happened, which made Robin feel irrationally irritated. She had asked him to ignore any feelings and now she was getting mad that he did exactly that? <em>Get a grip, Ellacott</em> Robin thought to herself as she put on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.</p><p>„Yeah. Get home safe", she added, but Strike had already turned to go, leaving her standing on the pavement, asking herself whether she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Strike needs to talk to someone about what happened the night before.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all so much for your lovely feedback. Reading the comments is really the best.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2</p>
<p>„She said what?“ Ilsa, one of Cormoran Strike's oldest friends looked at him with a confused expression he had rarely seen on her. Usually, she was on top og things. It took a lot to rattle her.</p>
<p>„She wants to be friends and nothing more", Strike repeated. „So, please, no more thinly disguised double dates or comments, ok?“</p>
<p>After leaving Robin the night before, he had spent the rest of it thinking about what had gone wrong. They had had a lovely evening and he had convinced himself that they were ready, that the time was right. He had been about to kiss her when she had told him she just wanted to be friends. He understood her reasons. They were the same reasons that he had told himself again and again to keep his growing feelings for his partner in check. The problem was that he didn't believe them anymore. He was tired of convincing himself that the woman he basically spent his life with was just his business partner and friend. He was tired of hoping that she wouldn't meet somebody else and be unavailable again. He was tired of putting the agency and work before any kind of social life and to be quite honest with himself, he was tired of being alone. He wanted to be with her, plain and simple, even with the risk that it wouldn't work out.</p>
<p>For the first time in his life, he actually wanted to talk to someone about his romantic life and Ilsa seemed the best suited for the job. He had called her and asked her to meet him for a drink at a pub, before they were to go to Robin's birthday party.</p>
<p>Ilsa was studying him with arms crossed before her. „I mean, I guess I understand where she's coming from. If it were to end badly, you would still have everything and she would be left with basically nothing, at least when it comes to the agency.“</p>
<p>„That's not true", Strike immediately replied. „She is my partner. The success of the agency is as much because of her as me – if not more.“</p>
<p>Ilsa looked at him as if he was a student and Ilsa his teacher and he hadn't answered a question to her satisfaction.  „Yeah, but does she know that?“ Strike wanted to say something, but Ilsa continued and cut him off. „It's your name on the door, you are the senior partner and have last say in everything. It's all your money that went in to build it up.“</p>
<p>Both were silent and deep in their own thoughts for a bit before Ilsa added „You know, as much as it pains me to say it, but maybe she's just not interested and giving work as a reason is her way of letting you down gently.“</p>
<p>Strike tried to hide the small smile that suddenly appeared on his lips by taking a large gulp from his beer. „I don't think that's the problem.“</p>
<p>He thought about her flustered face with red creeping up on her cheeks when she told him that she had had feelings for him since before she married Matthew. Maybe if he hadn't sacked her everything would be different today.</p>
<p>Ilsa quickly interrupted his fond memories. „What do you mean?“</p>
<p>„She told me that she thought about us being together. That she wanted me to run away with her at her wedding, basically.“ Strike saw that he had rendered Ilsa speechless.</p>
<p>„What?“ Ilsa asked after a few moments had passed. „And you don't lead with that?“</p>
<p>Her reaction was exactly the reason why he hadn't told her this part first. „It doesn't matter, Ilsa. Even if she has feelings for me, if she doesn't want a relationship, I am going to accept that and try my best to not make things akward between us. And promise me that you will keep out of this“, he added when he saw that she was about to suggest a different course of action.</p>
<p>Knowing him for over thirty years, Ilsa realised that nothing she could say now would make him change his mind. He was stubbern and even though she knew that both of them were making a mistake, she just nodded and left it at that.</p>
<p>„So, should we get Nick and get to Robin's birthday party then?“ Ilsa stood up from the pub table, looking at him expectantly. He knew, she wanted to see his reaction, but he kept his face blank. And anyway, he thought while getting up himself, even though Robin didn't want to be with him, he still looked forward to spending an evening with her for as long as she let him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm not entirly convinced that Strike would really talk to someone about something so personal, but he did change during TB, so maybe he understands now that he doesn't have to bear everything by himself.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Capter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Robin is having doubts about her decision and Strike is not helping.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you'll enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As the days of the year continued to grow shorter, Robin doubted her decision making with increasing intensity. Cormoran had been the perfect gentleman following that evening and for all she knew he had completely forgotten that he had been about to kiss her and she had asked him not to. He treated her as his friend and business partner, exactly like she asked him to, so why was she so irritated with his behaviour? Did she want him to at least try to make her change his mind?  Or was she just not used to a man actually doing as she asked?</p>
<p>These thoughts had filled her mind ever since he had arrived to her birthday party, giving her a quick peck on the cheek and then carrying on as if nothing had happened. It drove her crazy. Why was it so difficult to get a reaction out of this man?</p>
<p>They had continued working their cases, some separately, some together, but they had still to find another mystery as compelling as Margot Bamborough's disappearance where they would have to work together intensely.</p>
<p>Right now, she sat in her ancient Land Rover and was watching the entrance to an appartement building, waiting for her target to emerge so she could start tailing him. With a quick look at her phone for the time, she realised that if he didn't come out in the next ten minutes it would be Barkley's problem. He was to take over her shift at ten pm. So he should be arriving soon so she could brief him quickly before making her way home and taking a long and relaxing bath.</p>
<p>A knock on the passenger side window made her jump a bit, having been lost a bit in her bath fantasy.</p>
<p>„Sorry", Strike said as he opened the door and climbed into her car, „didn't mean to startle you.“</p>
<p>Robin was so confused for a moment that she didn't really react to him being there and just stared at him. She really should start to get more sleep, she thought to herself.</p>
<p>„Were you somewhere else just now", he asked with a smile on his face.</p>
<p>That made Robin realise that she had yet to say something. „Sorry. Was just imagining the relaxing bath I plan on taking when I get home. Might have been a bit too pre-relaxed.“</p>
<p>He laughed at that. „I get it. The year is nearly over and I think, we all deserve a little break. Only tomorrow left and then you can go relax with your family. They probably look forward to having you around for Christmas?“</p>
<p>„Please don't remind me", Robin said, sounding exhausted. „I'd much rather sit here and look at closed doors than be judged by my family or accidentally meet Matthew, Sarah and their baby in the street.“ She shuddered inwardly at the thought.</p>
<p>„You'll get through it like a fighter", Strike said with a laugh. „Just imagine me spending more than two hours with Lucy and everyone else at a table trying not to go crazy. You'll see that you have it much better.“</p>
<p>„Maybe you can get food poisoning again", Robin joked, reminding Strike of the days he spent over the toilet last Christmas.</p>
<p>„Don't think I haven't considered it.“</p>
<p>As Robin was laughing at that she suddenly realised „Wasn't Barclay supposed to take over?“</p>
<p>„Family emergency, apparently“, Strike explained. „I think, his daughter and wife are both sick with something and he has to take care of them. So, I offered to take over his shift.“</p>
<p>„That's really kind of you.“ Robin gave Strike a quick summary of what had happened on her shift and what he might have to expect. When she was finished, Cormoran started to reach for the handle to get back to his own car. Suddenly, she wasn't quite ready to say goodbye yet, since she was going to be in Masham till New Year's Eve. But, as much as she wanted to keep him in her car, she couldn't think of anything to say to keep him talking. In the end she gave up.</p>
<p>„Merry Christmas, Cormoran. I hope you'll have a great time.“ She tried to infuse her wishes with as much warmth and feeling as she could muster. Even though she had put an end to anything romantic between them, she still wanted to let him know that he was important to her.</p>
<p>He leaned towards her and gave her a hug. „Merry Christmas, Robin.“ They had never been very physically intimate with each other, Robin remembered, which made the moments they did touch feel all the more special to her. She hadn't been this close to him since her birthday party and she used her precious seconds to enjoy this hug as much as possible. Much too quickly for her liking, Cormoran had moved away from her, opened the door and left into the night. The only thing left for her to do, was to start the car and drive back to her flat thinking about strong arms enveloping her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Strike in my story is a much more reasonable man. Though I don't doubt that he would do exactly as Robin asked, tge past has shown that it's not so easy for him to just get back to normal.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Strike has a heart-to-heart</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had never felt so alone, being surrounded by people. Cormoran Strike had spent Christmas at his sister Lucy's, something he had always known how to avoid. But it was also his uncle Ted's first Christmas since his wife and Cormoran’s aunt Joan had died and he wanted to spend some time with him and his favourite nephew Jack. He just had to live with everyone else being their most annoying self. But he had made it through the holidays and was now spending his last night before returning to his flat in the morning. He could have commuted  everyday, but had decided against it, so as to spend as much time with Ted as possible. The thought of spending his nights alone in the attic flat might have also depressed him slightly. He was painfully aware that the only person that would have made him feel better was in Yorkshire and not interested.</p>
<p>„Whisky“, Ted asked, holding two tumblers and a bottle in his hands, joining Strike on the small terrace of his sister’s house, where he was currently enjoying a fag.</p>
<p>Strike took one glass as silent confirmation and let Ted fill it with the amber liquid.</p>
<p>„To the future", Ted started, holding his tumbler up, „whatever it may bring.“ Both men drank in silence.</p>
<p>„How's Robin?“ Strike looked sideways at his uncle.</p>
<p>„Subtle, Ted", he commented. „Lucy put you up to this?“ Strike's sister was as bad as Ilsa when it came to his love life, only with her he had to endure it alone.</p>
<p>„No, Joan actually. She wanted me to make sure that you end up with a nice girl and she thought Robin would fit the bill perfectly.“ Ted looked sincere enough so Strike tried to give his inquiry a proper response.</p>
<p>„She's good. As far as I know. I haven't talked to her over Christmas.“</p>
<p>„And?“ Ted didn't let him off so easily.</p>
<p>„And… we talked about the possibility of us and decided to not pursue anything. Stay friends.“ Even though Robin's birthday had been weeks ago, it didn't seem to get any easier accepting her decision. But this was what she wanted and he tried his best to make their relationship going forward as normal as possible. There were moments, like their brief hug in her car before Christmas, where he had the suspicion that maybe she wasn't completely immune to their mutual attraction. He wanted to give her time, to see if anything might change. And if it didn't, he would just have to learn to live with it.</p>
<p>Ted stayed silent, waiting for him to add more context to the story. Strike wasn't really in the mood to explain his love life, but Ted had been through enough this past year to get a bit more.</p>
<p>„It's not that we wouldn't want to… give it a go, but with the agency and our work, we figured it would only lead to complications later.“</p>
<p>„But you like her?“ Leave it to Ted to reduce a complex situation to something so simple.</p>
<p>Strike decided to be honest. „Yes.“</p>
<p>„Well,“ Ted continued, „don't leave it too long. She is a smart and good-looking girl. Someday, someone is going to come along and whisk her away.“</p>
<p>Having finished his whisky, Ted turned to go back inside the warmth of the house.</p>
<p>„How did you know,“ Strike asked, without looking at his uncle. „How did you know that Joan was the right woman for you?“ He felt like a lovesick teenager, asking for advice from his father.</p>
<p>Ted turned back, looking at Strike, illuminated by the lights from the living room. „Everytime something had happened to me – no matter if big or small – I wanted to tell her immediately. Wanted to share everything about my life with her. That's how I knew. That doesn't mean it was always plain sailing for us. There were hard times, but I never stopped wanting to share everything with her.“ He stopped speaking for a moment, collecting his thoughts. „I still tell her everything.“ His voice had gone soft and small. „I sit by the sea and tell her about my day. And that makes each day a little easier to bear.“</p>
<p>Strike didn't know what to say, so he simply pulled his uncle into a hug.</p>
<p>„Thank you", he finally managed. „You two were the best couple I knew.“</p>
<p>With a last squeeze into Strike's arm, Ted left him alone in the garden.</p>
<p>„Bugger", Strike said to no one in particular as he realised how utterly fucked he was. He wanted to be with Robin. Now, he just had to find a way to tell her that, without really telling her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cormoran makes his move</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I took a bit of inspiration from the adaptation of Lethal White for this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robin finally knew that she was an idiot. A complete and utter idiot. She had been so convinced that she had made the right choice with Strike, that staying friends was the only way forward if she wanted to keep everything she had worked so hard for these last years, that she had ignored her heart and now it was too late. Strike had moved on. And she would have to pretend to be happy for him. Because that was what she had wanted. Idiot.</p>
<p>She had decided to quickly pop in the office to get a file concerning the surveillance she was currently running when she had seen them. Cormoran and a gorgeous, tall woman with long, smooth black hair, dressed in a smart suit and a thin Burberry coat. Robin had just turned the corner to Denmark Street when she saw Strike lower his head and kiss the mystery woman's cheek. Thankfully, they had had their backs to her so they missed her retreating hurriedly into a building entrance. She had tried to steal another glance, but they had already separated. The woman was walking away and Strike had vanished into number 12.</p>
<p>Robin now slowly turned around leaving the office and her partner behind.</p>
<p>Her thoughts were irrational. She had asked him, no, more like told him, that they would be friends and nothing more. And now he had moved on and she suddenly realised that she had hoped he would remain single. That the possibility would continue to be there for her. But it had been months now. Except for their Christmas car hug and a quick peck at Nick and Ilsa's New Year's Eve party nothing more had happened between them. No moments, no lingering looks, no nothing. Was it surprising that he had now found somebody else?</p>
<p>Robin made her way to the Tube, head full of thoughts and regret. She couldn't go to the office now. Cormoran might suspect that she had seen him and she wasn't sure that she could stay unemotional. So she continued on her way towards her current target and tried to distract herself with work the rest of the day. Tomorrow, she would have to go to the office. They had a team meeting with their sub-contractors planned and she would be trying her best to stay supportive and not show her partner how much it hurt her to see him with someone else. It was just typical. You only realise you really wanted something once you'd lost it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin forced herself to get out of bed the next morning. She had barely slept the night before, her head full of what-ifs that were now never to happen.</p>
<p>She showered, put on jeans and a light sweater and left her flat into the warm March morning to get to Denmark Street, preparing herself to be as normal as possible and not let her feelings show.</p>
<p>At quarter to nine, she climbed the stairs toward the first floor. She could hear voices behind the door that fell silent the moment she stepped into the outer office.</p>
<p>Robin blinked a few times, trying to grasp what she was seeing. Sam Barclay was standing on a desk, trying to attach some kind of banner to the wall, the office manager, Pat Chauncy was filling mismatched coffee cups with what seemed like champagne and the other two sub-contractors Michelle Greenstreet and Andy Hutchins were arranging some paperwork on Pat's desk. No sign of Strike anywhere, but she could hear noises coming from the inner office.</p>
<p>„Did I miss someone's birthday", Robin asked, confused.</p>
<p>At hearing her voice, Strike came out of the adjoining room, walked towards her and enveloped her in a brief hug.</p>
<p>„Happy Anniversary", he exclaimed when he let go of her again.</p>
<p>Robin only managed a puzzled look towards his partner.</p>
<p>„It's your fifth anniversary working for the agency“, Cormoran explained, an amused smile appearing on his lips.</p>
<p>Robin was perplexed. „Is it?“ Looking around, she realised that the banner said <em>Happy Anniversary</em> as well and now the champagne made much more sense. She had been so occupied with work and thoughts of her partner that she had barley noticed that it was already March.</p>
<p>„Thanks", she finally managed. „I really hadn't expected this“, she added truthfully. It was a miracle when Strike remembered a birthday. Anniversaries weren't really his thing.</p>
<p>Robin turned towards her partner. „That really wasn't necessary.“ But a smile had now appeared and she felt honestly touched.</p>
<p>„Nonsense", Strike replied. „Five years is a long time and anyway, the agency probably wouldn't even exist anymore without you here.“</p>
<p>While he spoke, he had gently put a hand on her back and steered her towards the door.</p>
<p>Robin, realising that he let her towards the exit, frowned. „And now, you want to get rid of me?“ She had said in jest, but her stomach clenched painfully.</p>
<p>Strike shook his head and just pointed towards the still open door. The usual lettering that had been on the glass since the day she had first stepped through it was gone. Instead it now said</p>
<p>
  <strong>Strike &amp; Ellacott</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Detective Agency</em>
</p>
<p>„What?“ Robin didn't manage anything else, just looked at her partner and the other people now surrounding her.</p>
<p>Strike smiled at her. „It's about time that you became named partner. And if you want, you can be an equal partner on paper, too. I had a lawyer friend of Ilsa's make up a contract which would make us equal in every respect. If you want, it would need the same financial contribution I gave to start the agency and half of it would be yours. What do you say?“</p>
<p>Robin was dumbfounded. Was he really offering her half of his agency? Making her his legal partner in everything? She couldn't believe it. Tears threatened to fall, but she quickly wiped them away.</p>
<p>„Are you sure?“, was all she could say.</p>
<p>„Yes. I am.“</p>
<p>Robin was reminded of her wedding day, when she had asked the exact same question and had gotten the same answer. She looked at Strike and saw that he was remembering as well.</p>
<p>To make the memory complete, she stepped towards him and put her arms around his broad shoulders, burying her face in his neck.</p>
<p>„Thank you", she managed before the first tears fell and her voice stopped working.</p>
<p>„Now, who wants something sparkly", Robin heard Barclay ask and stepped out of Strike's embrace, quickly wiping away her tears. Strike gave her another small smile before crossing the room to get two mugs and bringing one to her.</p>
<p>„To Strike and Ellacott", Michelle said, raising her own mug. Everyone followed with their own toast and they spent the next hour on congratulations and plans for the future.</p>
<p>As it turned out, the paperwork Michelle and Andy had been preparing, was her new contract. It was all ready to sign. Her financial contribution would have to be £15.000. She turned to Strike when she read that.</p>
<p>„I don't have that much", Robin admitted with a low voice so only her partner could hear. She could already see this opportunity disappear again. „I mean, I have about £9000 now, but-"</p>
<p>Strike interrupted her by putting a hand on her arm. „Don't worry. We can make a plan and you'll take as long as you need. You know I don't care about the money. But, they told me, legally it would only work like that. Is that alright?“</p>
<p>Robin felt a weight lifting from her shoulders. „Yeah. That would be perfect.“ She beamed at him and imagined thanking him more intimately had she not closed the door on that front and he not moved on. At least, she could be certain now to have him in her life for a long time to come. Maybe this would have to be enough.</p>
<p>The group of colleagues agreed to meet again in the evening for a proper celebratory drink at the Tottenham before they all left the office to get to their respective jobs for the day. Robin and Strike were the last to leave.</p>
<p>„I can't believe you did this.“ Robin still felt like it was all a dream.</p>
<p>„You deserve it", Strike replied, his features warm and genuine.</p>
<p>Unconsciously, Robin had started to close the distance between them, but before she could get any closer he handed her the stack of paper.</p>
<p>„Look through it today", he said, rather business-like. Robin felt the air cool. „I asked the lawyer to come tonight, so that you might ask any questions you have.“</p>
<p>Robin took the folder and stepped back. She had momentarily forgotten that they were colleagues and friends, nothing more and that Strike had a new girlfriend anyway. She mustered all the strength she had to not let her disappointment show.</p>
<p>„Thanks. I will.“ She turned to leave, but stopped again. „See you tonight then?“</p>
<p>„Yeah.“ With a little wave Strike turned around and walked down Denmark Street without looking back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have no clue about the financial and legal side of things, so I just made something up that sounded vaguely plausible. <br/>The money is what's left of her divorce settlement and a bit Robin has saved as well. I feel like, she would gladly spend it on the agency.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The last chapter :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Strike was nervous. He was sitting in his favourite pub with his colleagues having a drink to celebrate the agency's new named partner. Robin was in deep conversation with Marianne, the lawyer he had asked to help with the legal questions. He had been confused when Robin had greeted her rather coolly. But when he had introduced her and explained that she had come by the day before to leave the documents, her demeanour had changed immediately and now they had been talking for half an hour without looking up.</p>
<p>Everyone else was having a good time as well, he noticed. Strike was proud of what he and Robin had built over the years and he hoped that his partner would get on with it and just sign the damned papers already so everything would be official.</p>
<p>Ilsa had been right. Even though Robin was his partner, she didn't have the same legal rights when it came to the business as he did. And so, he thought, his only option was to make their partnership as permanent as possible. Basically, a business marriage of sorts. And even if this would not change her mind about them he was glad he had offered it to her. He couldn't think of anyone he would rather spend his working life with. Whether or not this would stretch to their private lives as well was now completely up to her. He had made his move, now it was up to her to decide.</p>
<p>At that moment Robin and Marianne made their way to his side of the table.</p>
<p>„Everything seems to be fine", Robin started, sitting down next to him. „Last chance to take it back.“ She smiled, but he could see the hint of dread behind her cheery demeanour.</p>
<p>„Wouldn't dream of it", he said reassuringly, taking the papers and pen from Marianne and signed on his line. Robin followed and a few seconds later they were legally equal partners.</p>
<p>Marianne took all the paperwork and carfully stored it in her designer bag. „I'm going to file this and send you everything you need.“</p>
<p>„Thanks“, Strike said. „Say hi to Ilsa when you see her tomorrow.“</p>
<p>With that Marianne made her goodbyes and left the pub.</p>
<p>Strike and Robin sat side by side for a long moment neither really knowing what to say. Everything seemed to have changed. He wanted to give her time to think about their new situation and maybe realise that, if a relationship between them would end badly, she wouldn't end up with nothing.</p>
<p>„Cheers, partner", he finally said, holding up his pint.</p>
<p>„Cheers", Robin replied, clinking her glass to his.</p>
<p>He suddenly stood up. „Alright. Early morning tomorrow.“ He could see the confusion on Robin's face. He didn't have anything on the rota the next day and she knew it. But she didn't say anything. He said his goodbyes to his colleagues and told Robin again how happy he was that she was now his partner and left the pub. Strike knew his plan was risky. Maybe she really didn't want to be with him and he just offended her by leaving. But he hoped that it wasn't too late and she saw that he was serious when it came to them.</p>
<p>He went home, opened a can of Doom Bar from his fridge and settled in his only comfortable chair. But before he had even taken a sip of his beer, he heard a knock at his door.</p>
<p>When he opened it, there stood Robin, completely sogging wet. He hadn't realised that it had started to rain.</p>
<p>„Can I come in", Robin asked and he made space for her to enter.</p>
<p>Seeing her dropping water onto the floor he went to his tiny bathroom getting her a towel which she accepted gratefully.</p>
<p>„You want a drink?“ Strike had moved to the kitchen area taking out two mismatched glasses from his cupboard.</p>
<p>„Whisky if you have it", she answered, both knowing full well what had nearly happened the last time they had drunk whisky in this building. Only today, the bedroom was much closer.</p>
<p>Robin took a big gulp before she put the glass down and looked at him. She inhaled deeply once, before she started. „You know, I realised, I never really gave you the chance to say whether you wanted to try a relationship.“ She looked so vulnerable, standing in his flat with wet hair and wet clothes and slightly flushed cheeks, looking at him with longing, he realised. But before he could speak, she continued.</p>
<p>„Before you say anything though, I have to tell you something.“</p>
<p>He waited, holding his breath, fearing what she might say.</p>
<p>„I've been an idiot“, she began, raising her arms only to let them fall again immediately. „I have spend the last five months agonising whether I had made the right decision. And you were so amazing. You didn't make it akward and tried to be normal and it infuriated me. I know it's stupid, but I couldn't help myself. And then I saw you yesterday with Marianne and I thought, that's it. He's moved on.“</p>
<p>He tried to interrupt her, but she just continued talking.</p>
<p>„I know now that she was just giving you legal advice, but I thought I had lost you for good. And I realised that I didn't want that. I don't want you to be with anybody else. I want you to be with me.“</p>
<p>Robin had stopped talking and was waiting for him to respond. She had never looked more beautiful than in this moment and he tried to memorize her face as he walked the few feet to where she stood and kissed her.</p>
<p>Her lips were soft and she tasted faintly of white wine and crips. His hands had found their way to caressing her face and he felt her melting in his arms. After a few moments he broke the kiss and tried to catch his breath touching his brow to hers.</p>
<p>„I want a relationship, Robin", Strike said with closed eyes, his forehead still touching hers. „And if you let me, I'll try to make you happy. I love you.“</p>
<p>He had said the words, before he recognised the implications. But he knew them to be true. She was his love and he wanted her to know it.</p>
<p>Slowly, he opened his eyes, raised his head and looked at her. She had tears streaming silently down her cheeks, but her lips were parted in a smile.</p>
<p>„So, I guess", she started, „the partnership was your big romantic gesture?“</p>
<p>He snorted but became earnest quickly. „You deserve it, Robin. But I can't deny that I might have had ulterior motives, too."</p>
<p>Strike softly pushed away a strand of strawberry blonde hair that had fallen on Robin's face. „Did it work?“</p>
<p>Robin laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. He loved to make her laugh.</p>
<p>„I know that it probably won't be easy all the time", Strike continued his earlier speech. He had to get this off his chest. „But I'm all in. This is not some fling or something to pass the time. This is it for me. I don't intend to ever let you go again. I want you to know that.“</p>
<p>Robin was still standing in front of him, her hands on his chest, looking at him for a long, silent, agonising moment. He hoped it hadn't been too much. He hadn't wanted to overwhelm her. Being open with his feelings was not something Cormoran Strike was generally known for.</p>
<p>But, Robin slowly started to close the distance between them. „You don't make it easy for a girl not to fall in love with you, you know?“ Her face had stopped inches before his, her lips already slightly parted, her gaze jumping from his eyes to his mouth.</p>
<p>„Needs must.“ He captured her smile with his lips and kissed her again. He felt her arms coming around his shoulders and his grip around her tightened.</p>
<p>Strike was suddenly aware that Robin was the only woman he had ever let into his tiny flat. He planned on keeping it that way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The end</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm not entirly sure that the "needs must" line is used correctly in this context (english is not my first language), but I liked the throwback and chose to just keep it.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for reading this little story and for all your reviews and kudos. The feedback really is the best part! So, thanks 😊</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So many great fics have already been written about what happened after Robin's birthday and this is my two cents. I feel like Strike is finally at a point where he cares more about Robin than his agency, but I don't think Robin is quite there yet. She still has a lot of insecurities and tgis fic is my way for her to work through them. Just get together already!<br/>I hope you'll enjoy it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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